Zambia head coach Nora Häuptle has voiced her frustration with the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) tie-break regulations after the Copper Queens were knocked out of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) despite ending their campaign with a victory.
The Copper Queens defeated Malawi 2-1 in their final group-stage match on Wednesday, but the result was not enough to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Zambia, Nigeria and Malawi all finished the group level on points, forcing the application of CAF's tie-break criteria. Qualification was decided by goals scored in the head-to-head matches involving the three tied teams.
Under the regulations, Nigeria advanced after scoring four goals in the relevant matches, while Malawi progressed with three. Zambia managed two goals in the mini-league standings and therefore missed out on qualification.
Reacting after the match, Häuptle said the outcome was difficult to accept, arguing that her side had been among the strongest teams in the group based on their overall performances.
The Swiss tactician pointed out that Zambia finished the group with the highest number of goals scored and the fewest goals conceded, yet still failed to qualify because of the tie-break formula.
She questioned whether the current regulations truly reflect the spirit of fair competition, describing the situation as disappointing for a team that had performed consistently throughout the tournament.
Despite the painful exit, Zambia captain Barbra Banda remained optimistic, saying the experience would motivate the team to improve and come back stronger in future competitions.
Forward Racheal Kundananji also praised the commitment of her teammates, expressing pride in the effort they displayed throughout the tournament. She said the Copper Queens gave everything on the pitch and would use the setback as motivation going forward.
Zambia's elimination brings an end to a campaign that featured impressive attacking football and disciplined defending, but ultimately fell short due to the competition's tie-break rules.
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